Schooling behavior of light-powered autonomous micromotors in water

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2009;48(18):3308-12. doi: 10.1002/anie.200804704.

Abstract

A new school of thought: Micrometer-sized silver chloride (AgCl) particles (red) in deionized water move under UV illumination by self-diffusiophoresis (see picture). Each AgCl particle secretes ions to which the other particles respond, and they are observed to "school" into regions with higher concentrations of particles. Photo-inactive silica particles (blue) also respond to the chemical secretion by swimming towards and surrounding individual AgCl particles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Communication
  • Models, Biological
  • Motion*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Silver Compounds / chemistry*
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Water / chemistry*

Substances

  • Silver Compounds
  • Water
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • silver chloride